Fred was born January 29, 1942 in East Prussia. His father died in the WWII battle of Stalingrad, and so in 1951 Fred, his older brother, Rudy, and mother, Lydia, immigrated to Los Angeles to live with an aunt. There Fred enrolled in school, learning English by immersion. Three years later, Lydia remarried, and they moved to Orange County. Fred graduated from Western High School in Anaheim in 1960, and then went on to Biola College in La Mirada, California to earn his BA Degree. During this time, Fred also served as part-time Youth Pastor at his home church, Magnolia Baptist in Anaheim, where he met Kathy. After Fred and Kathy were married in 1965, they moved to Sioux Falls, SD, where he completed an MDiv. Degree in Biblical Studies at the North American Baptist Seminary.
In 1968, Fred began his ministry as Youth Pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Portland Oregon. In 1970, he and Kathy were called to Stockton where he became Pastor at Swain Oaks Baptist Church. Dynamic growth of the church resulted in a relocation in 1980 when it was re-named Quail Lakes Baptist. Fred left Quail Lakes in 2000 and became Nor-Cal Regional Minister, overseeing more than thirty North American Baptist churches. Then, from 2009 to 2019, he served as Executive Pastor at Lincoln Presbyterian Church in Stockton. His final pastorship was a 9-month interim role at Trinity United Presbyterian Church in Modesto in 2022.
Over the years, Fred also invested in the larger Stockton community by serving on a variety of boards, including YMCA, Habitat for Humanity, Youth for Christ, Stockton Gospel Center Rescue Mission, and also as an Adjunct Professor at Delta College in Philosophy and Western World Religions. Beyond Stockton, he served on the boards of Nor Cal-Church Planting, NAB Church Investors Fund, Sioux Falls Seminary and
Western Seminary (Portland, OR). His love for the Lord, his dedication to developing deep, lasting relationships, and his work ethic which prompted him to tirelessly share God’s love made Fred a beloved leader, friend, and mentor.
He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Kathy; son Philip (June) and their children Katie, Joshua, Mark and Lauren; son Steve (Becky) and their children Emily, Deborah (Chris) and Jonathan; and daughter Jennifer (Dan) and their children Abby and Alli.
A Celebration of Life will be on June 8, 2 PM at Quail Lakes Baptist Church.
In lieu of flowers, the family’s wish is for Memorial Gifts to be given to Hume Lake Christian Camps or Stockton Gospel Center Rescue Mission.